Method and apparatus for load-locked printing

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for depositing an organic material on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving the substrate at an inlet chamber; 
 sealing the inlet chamber; 
 providing the inlet chamber with a substantially nitrogen environment; 
 floating the substrate using a gas bearing; 
 directing at least a portion of the substrate to a print-head chamber and, while floating the substrate using a combination of pressure and vacuum, discharging a quantity of the organic material from a discharge nozzle onto the portion of the substrate; 
 directing the substrate to an outlet chamber; 
 partitioning the print-head chamber from the outlet chamber; and 
 unloading the substrate from the outlet chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising executing at least one intermediate processing step on the substrate before directing at least a portion of the substrate to the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one intermediate processing step comprises registering the substrate relative to a print-head of the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a conveying mechanism is used to carry out said step of directing the substrate. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said discharging step forms a patterned film on the substrate. 
     
     
       6. A method for depositing an organic material on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving the substrate at an inlet chamber; 
 sealing the inlet chamber; 
 providing the inlet chamber with a substantially chamber-gas environment, the chamber gas being substantially inert to the organic material; 
 floating the substrate using a gas bearing; 
 directing at least a portion of the substrate to a print-head chamber and, while floating the substrate using a combination of pressure and vacuum, discharging a quantity of the organic material from a discharge nozzle onto the portion of the substrate, forming a patterned film thereon; 
 directing the substrate to an outlet chamber; and, 
 unloading the substrate from the outlet chamber. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said chamber gas comprises a substantially pure gas selected from the group consisting of clean dry air, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, helium, or any combination of the foregoing. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising executing at least one intermediate processing step on the substrate before directing at least a portion of the substrate to the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one intermediate processing step comprises registering the substrate relative to a print-head of the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein a conveying mechanism is used to carry out said step of directing the substrate. 
     
     
       11. A method for depositing an organic material on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving the substrate at an inlet chamber; 
 sealing the inlet chamber; 
 providing the inlet chamber with a substantially inert-gas environment; 
 floating the substrate using a gas bearing; 
 directing at least a portion of the substrate to a print-head chamber and, while floating the substrate using a combination of pressure and vacuum, discharging a quantity of the organic material from a discharge nozzle onto the portion of the substrate, forming a patterned film thereon; 
 directing the substrate to an outlet chamber; and, 
 unloading the substrate from the outlet chamber. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising executing at least one intermediate processing step on the substrate before directing at least a portion of the substrate to the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one intermediate processing step comprises registering the substrate relative to a print-head of the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein a conveying mechanism is used to carry out said step of directing the substrate. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said substantially inert-gas environment is comprised of nitrogen. 
     
     
       16. A method for depositing an organic material on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a housing comprising a plurality of chambers, including a first chamber, a second chamber, and a print-head chamber; 
 introducing the substrate into the housing; 
 providing at least one of the chambers with a substantially non-oxidizing environment; 
 floating the substrate in at least one of the chambers using a gas bearing; 
 directing at least a portion of the substrate to the print-head chamber and, while floating the substrate using a combination of pressure and vacuum, discharging a quantity of the organic material from a discharge nozzle onto the portion of the substrate; 
 directing the substrate away from the print-head chamber; 
 partitioning the print-head chamber from at least one of the other chambers; and 
 removing the substrate from the housing. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising executing at least one intermediate processing step on the substrate before directing at least a portion of the substrate to the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one intermediate processing step comprises registering the substrate relative to a print-head of the print-head chamber. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein, during said discharging step, said partitioning step isolates the environments of the print-head chamber and the first chamber from each other. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , wherein a conveying mechanism is used to carry out said step of directing the substrate. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16 , wherein said discharging step forms a patterned film on the substrate.